MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)
(a): The details of occupations and processes where employment of children is prohibited under Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986, are at Annexure-I. As per the information received from States/UTs the details of inspections carried out under Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 during the last three years and the current year are as under:
Year 2011 2012 2013 2014
No. of inspections 154217 175196 184898 71168
(b): As per 2001 census, the total number of working children between the age group 5-14 years in the country was 1.26 crore out of which there were approximately 12 lakh children found working in the occupations/processes which are prohibited for employment of children under Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986. The number of children employed in these occupations/processes is at Annexure-II.
(c): As per the information received from the States, the details of action taken against employers under Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 are as under:
Year Violations Prosecutions Convictions
2011 14423 6017 984
2012 12052 5018 1144
2013 8991 3563 1061
2014 1027 792 754
As per a study conducted by V. V. Giri National Labour Institute, Noida, in large number of cases, the accused were acquitted by the courts because the prosecution side failed to prove the offence beyond reasonable doubts; failure to produce independent witnesses and casual approach of prosecution witnesses before the trial courts etc.
(d): Considering the magnitude and nature of problem of child labour, Government is adopting multi-pronged strategy which comprises of statutory and legislative measures, rescue & rehabilitation, universal primary education alongwith social protection, poverty alleviation and employment generation. The Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 prohibits the employment of children below the age of 14 years in 18 Occupations and 65 Processes and any person who employs a child in above said occupations or process, is liable for punishment with imprisonment or with fine or with both. For rehabilitation of child labour the Government is implementing the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme since 1988. Under the Project, children rescued/withdrawn from hazardous occupations and processes are enrolled in the NCLP Special Training Centres which have the provisions of bridge education, vocational training, mid day meal, stipend, health care, etc. before being mainstreamed into formal education system. At present, the Scheme is approved in 270 districts of 21 States in the country.
Further, Government is taking measures for economic upliftment of the families of child labour with convergence between welfare schemes of different Ministries. The Ministry is also running the awareness generation programme against the evil of child labour.
With the enactment of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, the efforts to eliminate child labour will receive a big boost as under the Act every child in the age group of 6-14 years is to be provided free and compulsory education. |
